Heinz plant closure will affect region

November 15, 2013

POCATELLOâ€”The announcement that the Heinz manufacturing facility in Pocatello will be closing within the next 6-8 months, wiping out 410 jobs, was like a punch in the gut to the entire region.
KPVI News 6 broke the story on its website Thursday afternoon after being tipped off by a local Heinz employee. Station officials contacted Heinz headquarters prompting the release of a statement by Michael Mullen, Heinz Senior President of Corporate and Government Affairs. Mullen confirmed the impending closure of the plant.
In a media statement, Mullen wrote, "Our decision to consolidate manufacturing across North America is a critical step in our plan to ensure we are operating as efficiently and effectively as possible to become more competitive in a challenging environment and to accelerate the company's future growth."
The Heinz facilities in Florence, S.C., and Leamington, Ontario, will also be closed down. Production in these locations will be shifted to other Heinz factories in the United States and Canada.
See Friday's Morning News for more on how this will impact the entire region.